Engine-starter.



A. I. SANDBO.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. |916.

Patented June 5, 2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

gmc/who@ mr "meurs Perses m. PMmuvLmw.A vmsnlncmw, n. c,

A. l. SANDBO.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 1916.

l $229, @8., Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-ms Nok/ws Pneus cc.. rnomuma., wAswnvnruN4 u. c4

ANTON I. SANDBO, 0F ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 5, 1917.

Application led May 16, 1916. Serial No. 97,807.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON I. SANDRO, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starters; and I do hereby ,declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in engine startersand more particularly to that class adapted to be used for startinginternal combustion engines used upon motor propelled vehicles, such asautomobiles, and the like, and my object is to provide a clutchmechanism adapted to coperate with the crank shaft of the motor forimparting rotating motion thereto.

A further object is to provide means whereby the clutch mechanism may beInanually rotated from the seat of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide means for normally holding the clutchmechanism out of engagement with the crank shaft.

A further object is to provide means for releasing the clutch mechanismfrom the crank shaft when the crank shaft vis reversely rotated.

A further object is to provide means for moving the clutch mechanisminto engagement with the crank shaft.

And a further object is to provide means for returning the clutchmechanism and parts attached thereto to their initial position after thesame has been operated to rotate the crank shaft.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly pointed out in the accompanying specification.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application,

Figure 1 is ank elevation of a portion of the front end of an automobileshowing my improved starting device attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the starting mechanism remoived from theautomobile.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the starting mechanism.

Fig. 4: is a plan view of a portion of the inner face of the throwingwheel showing the clutch carrying shaft yin section.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the clutch.

Fig.. 6 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the supporting sheaves from the wheelcontrolling cable.

Fig. S is a side elevation of the clutch releasing pawl showing the pawlin position to hold the clutch out of engagement with the crank shaft.

Fig'. 9 is a similar view showing the position of the pawl when theclutch is in engagement with the crank shaft.

Fig. 1() is a top plan View of the pawl and its support showing the pawlin lowered position.

Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the spring employed for moving the clutchinto engagement with the crank shaft, and

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a portion of a crank showing the manner ofattaching the clutch releasing mechanism thereto.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the frontframe bar of an automobile which is preferably channel shaped, to whichis attached a spring 2, the ends of the spring being in turn attached inany suitable manner to the aXle 3 of the vehicle.

The spring 2 is vsecured to the frame bar 1, preferably by means ofU-shaped bolts 4, the free ends of which extend upwardly through ears 5,of a clamping plate 6, said plate resting upon the upper face of .theframe bar 1, while the bolts pass around the frame bar and that portionof the spring seated therein, said plate having a boxing 7 thereon,through which extends a sleeve 8, said sleeve forming a bearing for ashaft 9, to the inner end of which is keyed a clutch 10, thenotched-face 11 of which is adapted to coperate with a pin 12 carried bythe end of the crank shaft 13. The shaft 9 andclutch 10 are rotated inQ11@ direction by attaching a throwing wheel 14 to the forward end ofthe shaft 9, the rim 15 of the throwing wheel being eccentrically orspirally arranged around its hub 16, said rim havingia channel 17 in itsperipheral' face in which is seated a pull cable 18, that end of thecable, engaging the rim at its smallest circumference, being attachedVin any suitable manner to one of the spokes 19 of the throwing wheel,while the opposite end of the cable extends around a sheave 2O and belowa sheave 21 to the dash 22,

or other suitable point adjacent the for-V upon the bracket which -aresecured to.

i the frame bar by rivets 26, orother suitable means, the end of the rim15 having the smallest circumference and the end of the rim having thegreatest circumference ter`V minate at the saine spoke 'of the wheel,said ends being preferably integral with the spoke so that the wheel canbe given a com-l plete rotation if desired, thus compressing two or moreof the cylinders with one full rotation of the wheel. The rotation ofthewheel in one direction is limited by placingy a projection 27 on the rimof the wheel at 1 the point of its greatest circumference,

which projection engages a bumper 28 when the wheel has been given acomplete rota tion, said bumper being suspended by. a

strap 29 from the frame bar 1.

1n order to move the shaft 9 inwardly to bring the notchedl face of theclutch in engagement with the pin of the crank shaft,

when the throwing wheel is rotated in onel direction, a coil spring 30is employed, onel end of the spring extending around the projecting endof theisleeve 8 and abutting against a collar 31 formed on the peripheryof the sleeve, while the opposite end of the Aspring engages a hub 32 ofthe clutch 10,

the last coil' 33 at the inner end of the spring 30, being reduced indiameter so as. to fit around the shaft 9 and bear against the end ofthe hub 32. i

The Yclutch 10 is normally heldv out of enfV gagement with the crankshaft by provid# ing a pawl 34, one end of which is pivotally attachedtoa bracket 35,said bracket beingy in turn attached to one of the bolts4 atene side ofthe shaft 9,"the outer end of the pawl having an offsetportion'36 which terminates in a forwardly extending fingerl 37,', theend of the finger being lrounded `and' adapted to travel over the face38 lofa disk@ 39, s'aid'disk being'Y preferably formediin# wheel 14, thelength of the finger being Y such that when extending in a horizontalposition the clutch V10 will be out of engagement with the pin `of thecrank shaft.

l/Vhena pull is given the cable 1S to r0- tate the throwing wheel 14,the finger 37 moves upwardly as well as slides over the face of the disk39 until said pawl rests in substantially a vertical position, therebypermitting the clutch to be moved into engagem-ent with the pin 12 ofthecrank shaft bythe pressure of the spring against the hub of the clutch,said clutch remaining in engagement withn the pin so long as the pawlremains in a vertical position.

'In' order to instantly Vrelease the clutch from the crank shaft, shouldaback fire or a reverse rotation of Vthe crank shaft fromany causeoccur, a plurality of teeth 40'are arranged in a circular path on theface' of the disk 39, a distance from the peripheral edgeof the disk,with which cooperate teeth 4101i the under face of the pawl 34, one faceof each tooth 40 being beveled or roundedso that the teeth 41 willreadily ride thereover when the vthrowing wheel is operated to rotatetheV crank shaft; while the opposite faces thereof are at right anglesvto the face of the disk whereby they will instantly engage the teeth 41and cause the pawl to moveto a horizontal position when the throwingwheel is reversely rotated, thereby disengaging the clutch from thecrank shaft. y i

^ To permit the pawl 34 to readily assume a substantially verticalposition when the throwing wheel is first operated, a certain number ofthe teeth 40 rare omitted' fromv the circleand a depression 42 formed inthe face of the disk 39 into which the teetht41 enter lasthepL wl isbeing moved upwardly, thus preventing the teethV 41 from engaging vanyof the teeth 40 to retard the upward securing the pawl to the bracket.

"In order tov returnrthe throwing wheel 14 to its initial position afterit has been operyated to rotatethe'crank shaft, any suitable means mayvvbe employed but, preferablyV a spring 46, one end of which is attachedto the framef'of the car by means of an eye bolt 47, while the oppositeend thereof isl attached to the peripheral surface of the clutch 10 bymeans Vof a chain 48,'said chain `being preferablysubstantially yflatwhereby it will readily wind around the hub of the clutch.

In order to wind the chain upon the clutch and at the same time reducethe force of the tension of the spring 46 against the pull upon thecable 1S, to the minimum, the end of the clutch adjacent the hub 32 iscut away to the diameter of the hub so that the chain will wind directlyupon the hub instead of upon the peripheral surface of the clutch, theend wall 49 of the clutch adjacent the hub, being spirally arrangedwhereby the chain will be moved laterally while being wound upon thehub, the pull of the spring. being proportional to its tension.

In operating this form of device, the occupant of the forward Seat ofthe automobile grasps the hand grip 23 and directs an outward pull onthe cable 18, thereby rotating the throwing' wheel 14, the firstmovement of the wheel causing the pawl 34 to swing upwardly, whereuponthe spring 30 will throw the clutch 10 into engagement with the pin 12of the crank shaft, the continued rotation of the throwing wheelresulting inthe rotation of the crank shaft. As soon as the engine isstarted, the pull upon the hand grip 13 is released, whereupon thetension of the spring 46 will re verse the rotation of the throwingwheel and the shaft to which it is attached, thereby causing the latchof the pawl 34 to descend and move the clutch out of engagement with thecrank pin. Should the first rotation of the throwing wheel fail to startthe engine the cable may be continuously moved inwardly and outwardlyuntil the engine is started, the operator, after making one pull,releasing the cable until the throwing wheel returns to its initialstarting position, then giving another outward pull to the cable.

In Fig. 12 of the drawings, I have shown the clutch releasing mechanismas applied to the ordinary engine starting crank, and in this instance,the disk 51 is provided with a sleeve 52 which lits over the horizontalportion 53 of the crank, the outer face of the disk being moved intoengagement with the vertical portion 54 of the crank and secured theretoby introducing a housing 55 over the vertical portion 54 and clampingthe same in position thereover by introducing screws 56 through ears 57on the housing and into fillets 58 on the outer face of the disk 51, theteeth 59, on the disk 51, being arranged similar to the teeth 40 of thedisk 39.

In this instance of course the crank is manually forced inwardly toengage the clutch with the crank shaft, the pawl acting in the samemanner as when coperating with the throwing wheel.

This device can be readily applied to use and installed upon the car,either when the car is manufactured or at any subsequent time, and inview of its simplicity can be installed at a minimum expense.

It will likewise be seen that the amount of energy required to operatethe throwing wheel will be greatly reduced in view of the formation ofthe throwing wheel, and by, constructing the rim of the wheel in spiralformation two or more of the pistons of the machine will be broughtunder compression with one complete rotation of the throwing wheel.

I claim 1. The combination with the crank shaft of an engine, of aclutch mechanism, means carried by parts of said clutch mechanism andformed with a depression and having a plurality of teeth arranged incircular formation thereon with a number of the teeth omitted, a movablymounted toothed member for coperation with said teeth and having meansadapted to travel over the face of said first-named means, the teeth ofsaid movably mounted member adapted to enter said depression during onemovement.

2. The combination with the crank shaft of an engine, of a clutch, aportion of said clutch being reduced in diameter to form a hub, the endof the clutch adjacent the hub being spirally arranged, a spring, meansto anchor one end of the spring, and means to attach the opposite end ofthe spring to the clutch whereby when the clutch is rotated the springsecuring means between the clutch and end of the spring will be woundupon the hub, and a spring having its terminal coil reduced in diameterto lit around the shaft and bear against the end of said hub.

3. The combination with a clutch mechanism, and means to move the clutchmechanism into operative position, of a throwing wheel for the clutch, adisk on said throwing wheel, teeth arranged in circular formation on thedisk, a pawl having a finger at one end adapted to engage the face ofthe disk until the pawl assumes a vertical position, to hold the clutchin inoperative position, and teeth on the pawl adaptedy to engage theteeth of the disk whereby the pawl will be operated upon the occurrenceof reverse rotation to force the clutch into inoperative position, theteeth of said disk being interrupted as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with the crank shaft of an engine, of a clutchmechanism, a disk carried by parts of said clutch mechanism1 a pluralityof teeth arranged in circular formation on said disk, said disk having adepression, a pivotally mounted pawl having teeth adapted to coperatewith the teeth of the disk, an angular extension on said pawl, and aforwardly extending nger at the end of the extension adapted to travelover the face of the disk, the teeth of the pawl being adapted to entersaid depression when the pawl is being moved to a vertical position.

5. The combination with the crank shaft of an engine, of a clutchmechanism, a disk carried by parts of said clutch mechanism, said diskhaving a plurality of teeth arranged in circular formation thereon withsome of the teeth omitted, and said disk formed With a depression7 apivotally mounted paWl having teeth for cooperation With the teeth ofsaid disk, said pavvl having an I `angular extension adapted to travelover the face of the disk1 the teeth of the paWl being 10 adapted toenter said depression as the pawl is heilig moved upwardly, and meansfor holding the pawl intorits engagementwith the disk at all times.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

ANTON I. SANDBO.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained fol' five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. v

